diff --git a/apps/app_queue.c b/apps/app_queue.c
index 24fe45afa1..89221459f0 100644
--- a/apps/app_queue.c
+++ b/apps/app_queue.c
@@ -1788,6 +1788,10 @@ static int play_file(struct ast_channel *chan, const char *filename)
 {
 	int res;
 
+	if (ast_strlen_zero(filename)) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	ast_stopstream(chan);
 
 	res = ast_streamfile(chan, filename, chan->language);
diff --git a/configs/queues.conf.sample b/configs/queues.conf.sample
index 7a7cddd301..e15110bad8 100644
--- a/configs/queues.conf.sample
+++ b/configs/queues.conf.sample
@@ -231,6 +231,13 @@ shared_lastcall=no
 ;
 ; Use these sound files in making position/holdtime announcements.  The
 ; defaults are as listed below -- change only if you need to.
+;
+; Keep in mind that you may also prevent a sound from being played if you
+; explicitly set a sound to be an empty string. For example, if you want to
+; prevent the queue from playing queue-thankyou, you may set the sound using
+; the following line:
+;
+; queue-thankyou=
 ;
 			;	("You are now first in line.")
 ;queue-youarenext = queue-youarenext